The bad guy and loving it – Jericho Interview

The superstars of World Wrestling Entertainment are back in town this weekend, with Sunday’s lineup of matches promising to satisfy fans of the squared circle from ages 5 to 50.

In addition to appearances by SmackDown’s Jeff Hardy, Edge and Rey Mysterio, ECW’s CM Punk, Tommy Dreamer and Jack Swagger and WWE Divas Gail Kim and Michelle McCool, former WWE champion and 2008 Superstar of the Year Chris Jericho returns to Honolulu to face off against hall-of-fame wrestler Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin spoke with Jericho last week by phone from Tampa, Fla., while he was busy getting prescriptions filled for his two young children.

QUESTION: You’re currently a heel, or bad guy, on “SmackDown.” Do you prefer to be hated, or would you rather be a fan favorite?

ANSWER: It’s a lot more fun to be a bad guy than a good guy.

It’s also a lot easier to make people hate you instead of making them like you.

But, having said that, it’s also hard to make them stay hating you. It’s an art form to be able to do that.

Look at the greatest bad guys of all time, from Darth Vader to Hannibal Lecter to Freddy Kreuger. After a while, they become more interesting than the people they’re beating up and people start liking them.

It really is an art form to become a heel that stays hated by the fans. As long as people are reacting and getting their money’s worth, it doesn’t really matter to me.

Q: After talking a lot of trash in mainstream media about Mickey Rourke, he ended up decking you at “Wrestlemania” this year. Was that hard to take?

A: No, never. It’s all part of the show. My job was to drum up interest and accept him as a good guy. I did that and it was … fun.

To me, it’s all about the storyline and the buildup. When it came time for the match, I think Ricky Steamboat was the star.

Q: Speaking of Steamboat, we’re told a rematch is scheduled to take place in Honolulu.

A: I’m looking forward to it. I don’t really look at Steamboat as a legend. He’s just a great performer and one of the best of all time.

It’d be like playing hockey against Wayne Gretzky — even though he retired years ago, he’s still better than half the people on the ice nowadays. Steamboat, at 55 years old, is still better than 80 percent of our roster … (and) being from Hawaii, it’s a huge deal.

It’s going to be very sentimental for him and the fans, and of course I plan to spoil it and stick it in his face and all of the fans when I end the party and annihilate him in front of everyone.

Q: What’s the latest with your band, Fozzy?

A: I just finished vocals for the fourth record, “Chasing the Grail.” It should be out in September or October. If you’re a Fozzy fan, it’ll make you more of a Fozzy fan, and if you’re not too sure about our band, it’ll make you a fan.

I’m very excited about it, very proud of it and I can’t wait for people to check it out.